Food Rules, Rule Number Twenty-One

March 29, 2010

photo by The D

And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ 8So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.

-Genesis 11:6-8 (NRSV)

Yes, the real thing. Not a promotional photo.

There’s a very funny moment in the film Pulp Fiction when two characters are talking about visiting Europe. One asks the other what they call a Big Mac in France. The answer?

“Le Big Mac.”

So this one falls into the trap of Rule 21. The name doesn’t change, even when language and geography do, so steer clear. I can think of dozens of brands of food-like substances that I have enjoyed in the past that fail the test of this rule. It’s been sort of like a personal challenge to be able to say I’ve consumed as few of them as possible over time. Want to know how much you’re taking in? Just mark a little “NB” on your calendar for every day you consumed “name brand” foods where the brand is as important as the food itself.

For instance, there is a brand of Lettuce called Foxy, but I wouldn’t put that down. The brand is not the food. However, eat a Big Mac and that should definitely be on the calendar. See how many days in a row you can actually go without taking in something known more as a brand than a food, then take a personal inventory to see how you’ve felt. You may be pleased!